Research Asst. Professor at Northwestern U's Our Center for Community Health

Mar 06, 2019

Note: Our Center for Community Health is seeking a Research Assistant Professor with expertise in community-engaged research. Discipline and research area are open. The new hire will reside in our Center for Community Health and will also have a departmental home in one of our Medical School departments. The expectation is that this faculty member will work toward research independence and also collaborate on research and programmatic activities emanating from the Center. I would be delighted to answer any questions from potential applicants.

Position Description

Full-time, Research Assistant Professor in the Center for Community Health, the Institute for Public Health and Medicine, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University.

The Center for Community Health (CCH) at Northwestern University is seeking a Research Assistant Professor for a non-tenured faculty position. We are seeking an individual who can help build cutting edge research programs in cross-disciplinary, community-engaged research with a focus on health outcomes and health care equity. The Center for Community Health and the Institute for Public Health and Medicine (IPHAM) offer unique environments for cross-disciplinary research in a wide range of fields. A description of the Center for Community Health is available at: http://www.feinberg.northwestern.edu/sites/ipham/centers/community-health.html.

CCH brings together collaborative, multidisciplinary teams of scholars and community members to improve health in underserved communities through a shared commitment to health equity, innovation, and translational research. The Center’s existing faculty have a focus on research to improve the health of racial and ethnic minorities, immigrant populations, persons with lower socioeconomic status, rural communities, and sexual minorities. Opportunities are also available for collaboration and affiliations with clinical departments in the Feinberg School of Medicine; the Institute for Public Health and Medicine; and other Centers and Departments such as the Center for Primary Care in Medicine, Center for Behavior and Health, Department of Preventive Medicine, Department of Medical Social Sciences, and Division of General Internal Medicine.

The Research Assistant Professor position will provide support to the CCH Co-Directors and collaborate on conceptualization, design, and writing of grant proposals related to the scientific mission of CCH; manage collaborative research efforts with other investigators and core facilities focusing on community-engaged research that spans the University; build academic and community collaborations to increase the number of community-engaged research proposal submissions to extramural funders; consult on community-engaged research grant proposals pre- and post-award from other Departments at the University; and help develop scholarship and manuscripts related to the science of community-engaged research.

Applicants must 1) possess a PhD or MD (or foreign equivalent) in an area of health services research, public health sciences, social epidemiology, health communication, health policy or a related field; 2) have experience in community-engaged research, public health, health services research, and epidemiology and statistics; 3) have training in at least one of the following: community engaged research methods, public health research, health disparities research, and/or dissemination and implementation; and 4) be able to function independently in planning and writing grant proposals, with attention to detail and excellent organizational skills.

Because the Center for Community Health addresses a broad range of medical, public health, epidemiological and socioeconomic issues, the candidate’s specific discipline is less important than his or her track record of success, with the potential to build a research infrastructure and assemble interdisciplinary scientific teams that will pursue impactful research and attract extramural funding. Experience working with community partners outside the health care and academic system, and sensitivity in bringing research to the clinical arena, are essential. A creative, forward-thinking mindset and ability to collaborate with diverse stakeholders are crucial. The ideal candidate will have demonstrated ability to implement and manage extramurally-funded research projects, practical experience with applied public health and community engagement, and scholarly output.

Supervision Received: This position will report to Dr. Namratha Kandula regarding all aspects of the job and personal faculty development and Dr. Darius Tandon regarding scholarly output related to community-engaged research and dissemination and implementation activities. Drs. Kandula and Tandon are Co-Directors of the Center for Community Health.

Supervision Exercised: For candidates at the Research Assistant Professor level, this position will potentially have responsibilities over staff in the Center for Community Health.

Expectations at the Assistant Professor Level: For candidates at the Research Assistant Professor rank, the candidate is expected to help obtain research funding as part of a highly collaborative team with a focus on innovation and excellence. The research portfolio will involve both collaborative research and training grants. In collaboration with the Center Co-Directors the successful candidate will be involved in preparation of grant applications and analysis and publication of data generated from funded studies.

Competencies, Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

 Strong knowledge of community-engaged research relevant in public health and medical research

 Strong skills in building collaborative teams and team management

 Strong skills in working with community members and building multi-sectoral partnerships

 Good organizational skills across individual projects, managing own work load

 Excellent written and verbal communication skills

 Positive attitude and ability to work with biomedical investigators and colleagues at the Feinberg School of Medicine and the University

 Ability to contribute to the growth and development of CCH

 Passion and skills to solve real-world healthcare challenges

The faculty member’s academic appointment will reside in a Department within the Feinberg School of Medicine appropriate to the individual’s training. Northwestern University is an Equal Opportunity, Affirmative Action Employer of all protected classes, including veterans and individuals with disabilities. Women, racial and ethnic minorities, individuals with disabilities, and veterans are encouraged to apply. Hiring is contingent upon eligibility to work in the United States.

To apply, please submit a cover letter and CV. Materials should be submitted to the Center for Community Health Administrator, Dan Sylvester (daniel.sylvester@northwestern.edu